Vaginismus: a disease or a curse for life?
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Some women simply cannot afford these ordinary things — to use convenient hygiene products, to conceive and give birth to a child, to be with a loved one, to enjoy their body and the opportunities it gives. They are not available, and all because of such strange phenomena as vaginismus.
Contents of the article:
“Relax and have fun”
Women diagnosed with vaginalism welcome this advice, but have little hope in their willingness to make the effort.
Vaginalism is a spasmodic reflex contraction of the vaginal muscles. Women cannot control him and cannot influence him with willpower. This is similar to trying not to blink when a foreign object tries to penetrate the eye. There seems to be nothing complicated about this, but it is impossible to control yourself.
Vaginismus makes it difficult or impossible for foreign bodies to enter the body through the vagina. Gynecological penises, tampons or instruments — all for the body. The muscles clench like a wrestler”s fist in his hand trying to force something into a complete fiasco. Even if a woman manages to squeeze the muscles clenched in spasm, she experiences very severe pain. Her partner doesn”t enjoy it either. This happens because when the penis is clenched into a strong fist with pleasant sensations, the man does not experience them.
There”s nothing exceptional
Consider yourself exceptional. The only body suffering from this feature is a big mistake. The research data is very solid, but the numbers are stubborn and suggest that there are not so many women with vaginismus on the planet.
For example, a study conducted in 1990 at the Spector and Carey Clinic in the United States was based on an analysis of women”s attraction to sexual problems. It was found that about 17% of rotating women suffer from vaginismus.
Other studies have found this percentage to range from 5% to 47%, likely due to gender differences and attitudes towards women. In some cultures, it is not common to discuss such intimate matters with other people.
STIs, cats and a strict mother: who is to blame for the appearance of vaginismus?
This condition is assigned a medical condition and a code in the International Classification of Diseases and Problems in Health. Doctors believe it can be treated, but they are not yet simply speculating about the causes.
Based on the medical classification and description of the condition, numerous causes can be listed.
If a woman has no experience with penetration or sexual contact, primary vaginismus is often associated with several factors.
- Sexual abuse;
- Instilling ideas about the immorality and vulgarity of sex;
- Intense fear of the pain of losing one”s virginity;
- Latent homosexuality;
- Mental disorders.
Sexual abuse includes any behavior toward a child that is explicitly sexual in nature but does not involve penetration. Furthermore, it can be committed by both adults and other children.
Ideas about the immorality and vulgarity of sexual contact are common reasons why women begin to resist attempts to introduce them to this “dirty” activity. These ideas can be inspired by religious motives or the personal beliefs of loved ones. The result is the same: communication between the child and their body is disrupted and becomes taboo. Sometimes this becomes real torture for girls, affecting not only sexual connotations, but also the simple act of washing, sometimes even the simple act of dressing. And menstruation and hygiene during this period are simply impossible to explain in words.
Strict mothers literally “block the path” to a woman”s well-being. Stories about how painful the first time is, how scary childbirth is, how dangerous men are—all this goes straight to the girl”s mind and creates the idea that vagina = pain. What is early sexual contact? By age 30, innocence is lost.
Don”t talk about latent homosexuality. Many women don”t consider it a possibility. Nip the idea of having sexual contact with other women in the bud. Men won”t be aroused. You”ve probably never met “the one.” Women don”t believe that sexual experience with other women can provide sexual liberation and the opportunity to live a full life. At the same time, same-sex relationships don”t necessarily have to be permanent. Perhaps it”s enough as an experiment.
Mental disorders, as a rule, can completely ruin not only a person’s sex life, but also his social contacts. In the case of some diseases that occur in a latent form, vaginismus may be practically the only symptom. In most cases, such disorders are associated with increased anxiety, including phobias, panic states, obsessions and depression.
There is also secondary vaginismus, which occurs after sexual contact with a woman. If such contact is very unpleasant or an act of violence has occurred, vaginalism may develop as a reaction to rough penetration. Such phenomena can occur for completely natural reasons. For example, after a very painful childbirth or as a result of fear of conceiving a child.
Read also: 8 Facts We”re Wrong About Men”s Sex Lives
Recent trends show that people are talking more and more openly about sex. The desire of men and women to better know each other, their inner selves.
All factors are likely to be psychological in nature and are likely associated with high levels of anxiety or strict moral inhibitions. Most doctors do not consider vaginismus to be a congenital feature of the body and are not inclined to consider this phenomenon as a developmental evil.
There are reasons and physiological characteristics. For example, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Here everything becomes clear: the infection causes inflammation, the inflammation causes spasms, the muscles contract and are diagnosed, but do not penetrate.
Anatomical features of the body structure can also cause vaginismus. Take, for example, the case of Calista Wilson from San Francisco. For years she couldn”t understand why she couldn”t have sex, why she couldn”t just insert tampons into her vagina. It turned out that she has 30 times more nerve endings than most women. As a result, instead of seductive sensations during sex, she felt a burning sensation. The only thing that helped her was surgery to remove a piece of skin at the entrance to the vagina.
In the absence of traumatic situations or strict mothers who have spoken about their fear of sex, cats are responsible if STIs and anatomical abnormalities are ruled out. Yes, these cute creatures gather around lonely women. The worst thing is that not being a cat is a consequence of loneliness, and loneliness arises from the presence of these cute animals. Claus van Berg (Dutch sexologist), who studied the relationship between vaginalism, anorgasmia and love for cats, is absolutely convinced of this. The results of his research are as follows. Only 20 of the women (more than 300) who owned a cat had no problems with sex. The rest either did not want it at all or had difficulty during intercourse. There is no scientific basis for this conclusion, but if the cause of the disease cannot be explained, then doctors cannot come up with an explanation.
Life without sex
When faced with the problem of vaginismus, some women despair and give up, believing that no one can help them. At the same time, they can be married for years and live for years without traditional sex.
They love their husbands, appreciate him and usually describe him as very caring, attentive and sensitive. Women sigh and say: “Well, what should I do? That’s who I am, we love each other, but sex is not that important.” The man nods his head and agrees, hoping that the woman will melt from his sensitive attention and care and that in the end everything will be fine.
This stupid position, as Gross herself claims, has an extremely negative impact on both women and men. Women benefit greatly from her position in the form of special treatment and are even more affirmed in her illness. Men usually have an erection and no impotence.
It is important to understand that vaginalism does not go away on its own. Treatment is necessary, and the more prompt it is, the faster the positive results will be.
Who will help?
Vaginismus, details about the disease.
The first thing you need to do is visit your gynecologist. Then it is better to choose the right specialist who takes complaints seriously and does not brush them off as a much more tedious problem. You should immediately consult a gynecologist to exclude the occurrence of vaginismus due to inflammation of the pelvic organs, adhesions or mechanical damage to the genital organs.
The doctor conducting the consultation should conduct an investigation, describing the circumstances under which sexual activity began or is about to begin, and what sensations the woman experiences when attempting penetration. Next, a physical examination is carried out in the chair, which should dispel all doubts about the diagnosis. This muscle contraction is difficult to see and feel.
Then you need to know whether vaginalism is true or “false” (false free or not). True vaginalism is not the result of a gynecological examination or fear of sexual intercourse. It begins due to deep neurosis. False weakness is caused by fear of examination, sex or other penetration. The cause is an inflammatory disease of the genital organs.
Treatment of vaginismus
The disease is caused by fog, but this does not stop doctors from treating it. In most cases it turns out to be very successful. Often women do not receive timely help for several reasons.
- Shame and embarrassment prevent you from seeing a doctor in time;
- Incorrect diagnosis by a specialist, when they begin to treat concomitant ailments, relieve symptoms, instead of starting serious treatment.
If it is determined that vaginal spasm is true, then you cannot do without the help of a psychotherapist or psychiatrist. He or she must conduct a series of tests and prescribe special treatment. Don”t think that pseudovaginismus doesn”t need treatment or that its treatment is easier than true treatment. Since the problem requires a complex solution, treatment of all types of vaginismus requires the efforts of several specialists.
The most commonly used treatment methods are:
- Intravaginal dilatation (using special kits);
- Surgical defloration;
- Explanatory conversations (for example, about the purposes and mechanism of a gynecological examination);
- Psychotherapy, to identify traumatic situations and work with them;
- Performing special exercises to relax the muscles of the pelvis and hips;
- Breathing exercises and reflexology.
With pseudovaginismus, the doctor’s efforts are aimed at eliminating the cause of painful examination and sexual intercourse (for example, inflammation of the tissues of the genital organs, mechanical damage). After treatment, the pain disappears and muscle spasms stop when attempting penetration.
Medicines can be used in general treatment complexes. It is important to remember that only doctors can prescribe them; You cannot self-medicate. Four groups of medications are commonly used to treat vaginal spasms: miralexants, tranquilizers, antidepressants, and sedatives.
Miralexant helps reduce the activity of the part of the brain responsible for muscle activity, or reduce the speed at which nerve impulses are transmitted to the muscles. This is a medical method of muscle relaxation.
Tranquilizers are psychotropic drugs. Their action is usually aimed at relieving increased fear and anxiety.
Antidepressants are aimed at improving mood and overall mental health.
Sedatives help reduce the intensity of the reaction to external stimuli. They usually have a calming effect and have a beneficial effect on a person’s sleep and performance. In most cases, they consist of herbal components and are therefore especially popular among self-medication enthusiasts. Vegetables don”t mean they”re safe. Taking medications without a doctor”s advice can lead to serious complications.
